About the course

This is a broad based study programme that covers areas including basic sportsturf machinery use, mowing and maintaining grass, some plant maintenance and gardening techniques, sowing seeds, and basic landscape skills. Students also cover a range of interview and self development units.

It is extremely popular with school leavers who wish to combine a practical based training programme with sound theoretical knowledge. The course is designed to give you a broad understanding with a view to progressing to one of our Level 2 Diploma courses, or to start work in the landbased sector.

Key information

Course modules

Year 1

Prepare and plant a container for display

You will be able to use the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to prepare and select the plants to create a display, and plant a container.

Understanding soils

You will be able to understand what soil is and where it has come from. You will be able to separate and measure different components that soil is made of as well as appreciating their importance for plant growth.

Maintain the safety of self and others in the workplace

This unit is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to ensure that health and safety becomes part of routine working practices; to build habits of working with regard for personal safety and that of others.

Introduction to pruning trees and shrubs

You will be able to carry out practical elements of the pruning process for trees and shrubs. You will undertake simple pruning tasks using a variety of tools needed for the relevant plant subjects within the sports facilities.

Assist with identifying of, and controlling common pests and diseases

On completion of this unit you will be able to assist with identifying and controlling pests and diseases in sportsturf areas.

Developing practical skills for maintaining plants

You will be able to carry out the skills required to maintain existing plants by undertaking simple pruning tasks on a variety of plant material, and will weed, mulch and edge established beds and borders within the sports facilities.

Interview skills

This unit introduces you to the key aspects of conduct appropriate interviews and will equip you with basic interview skills, including being able to reflect on how well you did in the interview

Preparing for an interview

his unit will introduce you to the most important aspects of preparing for an interview, with an emphasis on planning ahead of the interview.

Self management skills

This will equip you with an understanding of why self-management in the workplace is important. You will be asked to demonstrate a range of skills and carry out an evaluation of your performance.

Soil identification and testing

You will be able to understand what soil is and how different plants have preferences for certain types of soil.

Introduction to ground preparation

You will be able to use the skills required to prepare and level the soil before planting. You will undertake simple digging, consolidation and raking tasks required to successfully prepare ground ready for planting or seed sowing in an allocated area within the sport and horticultural facilities.

Plant flower bulbs for naturalisation or bedding

You will be able to use the skills required to plant bulbs for naturalisation or for bedding by undertaking naturalising of bulbs in turf and planted area

Planting and staking a tree

You will be able to use the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to prepare for and plant a tree on the sport facilities; provide immediate aftercare and clear up after the planting operation is complete.

Special requirements

Work experience

There will be opportunities for students to carry out some work experience using our Commercial Ventures on the Myerscough Campus, helping them to gain the important work skills and to link directly with their units being studied.

Horticulture

Horticulture is a rapidly growing area of the economy thanks to a strong public interest in gardening, plants, sustainability and food security. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, the horticulture industry is the largest employer in the UK, supplying 18 million gardeners.

The number of garden centres continues to increase and the public demand for attractive horticultural landscapes remains strong. This means that plant growers, suppliers and managers are constantly looking for ways to improve their businesses.

Show Garden Success

Work experience doesn’t get much better than here at Myerscough. Our learners have helped build award-winning gardens across the country - from a Gold-Medal entry at Chelsea Flower Show to Gold and Silver Medals at Southport Flower Show! They’ve also been involved with garden builds for the BBC DIY SOS project in Blackpool and show gardens at the RHS Tatton Flower Show and Chorley Flower Show.

PlantWorld

Myerscough’s award-winning gardens are laid out across much of the western edge of the Myerscough campus. As part of our garden kingdom, horticulture students are spoilt for choice in our Plant World display glasshouses! There are bananas growing in the Tropical Zone, coffee plants and pineapples in the Edible Zone, a Mediterranean atmosphere in the Temperate Zone as well as beautiful specimen plants in the Flowering and Foliage Zones.

Superb Facilities

Our horticulture students have access to some of the best facilities available. There are brand new commercial glasshouses, an extensive plant collection, fully-equipped landscape and construction workshops, a new Sportsturf education facility, a CAD suite and drawing studio and dedicated garden plots for project work.

Scholarship Programme

Every year there’s the chance for students to apply for funding to undertake overseas trips as part of their studies thanks to travel scholarships. The annual fund, from the Lancaster and Morecambe Agriculture & Horticulture Society Scholarship programme, pays significant bursaries to encourage young horticulturalists to study or explore business ideas abroad. This year, Bronwyn Jones, 19, went to Singapore to be involved as a volunteer on the ‘Gardens by the Bay’ project looking at increasing public accessibility to gardens and using innovation and technology in creating a city in the garden.

Christine Walkden: Honorary Fellow

"My passion for gardening was nurtured at Myerscough College and I've been getting my hands dirty ever since." Celebrity plantswoman and horticulturalist Christine was awarded an honorary fellowship and regularly works with the College and our Horticultural department.